Disclaimer: Still owned by Stephenie Meyer, thank God.

AN: More than a few people, when I finished posting East of Albuquerque, asked the obvious question: 'well, what next?' At first, I had no plans to follow through, but then the plot bunnies attacked and I decided Bella and Edward deserved a happily ever after that didn't involve months of misery for Bella or suicide trips to Volterra for Edward. The title for this one should become obvious.

A recap of East of Albuquerque:

Bella didn't get away from Jasper and Alice in the Phoenix airport in Twilight. Instead, she, Edward and Carlisle flew up to New York and then drove back across the country to Washington. She then caught the flu and ended up in a hospital in Montana. Lots of hurt/comfort was had. Meanwhile, Jasper, Alice and Emmett were left to deal with James, which they eventually did when they caught up with him in Portland. Victoria escaped. Bella became much closer to the Cullen family, without suffering a life or death climax in the ballet studio. Edward's a bit less overprotective and isn't of the opinion that Bella would be better off far away from him. The story ended at prom, as in the book. This next one starts on her birthday, as in the book.

It was her first time in any northern state besides Washington.
~Bella, East of Albuquerque

'What is that?' Bella asked, eying the offending gold wrapped box with matching ribbon as if it were a bomb about to go off.

Alice rolled her eyes in exasperation and deadpanned, 'It's a present. People give them on birthdays.'

'But some people specifically asked that other people don't,' Bella responded, in an equally put upon voice.

'And some people just don't care what other people think.' Alice was doing a good job of giving her the death glare.

Bella had had a lot of experience with that look in the past few months, so she just ignored it – and the gold box – and returned to her conversation with Edward.

Across the table, Emmett started laughing.

'You had best open it,' Edward said in a soothing voice. Bella melted a bit inside.

'But I don't want to. And if we're going to acknowledge my birthday, than I get to do whatever I want, right?'

'Doesn't work that way Bells,' Emmett stated matter-of-factly. It sounded like he was speaking from experience.

'Oh fine,' Bella huffed and grabbed up the box. It wasn't very big, maybe only a few inches square. It couldn't have anything too horrific in it. And it certainly wouldn't have fit clothes, except maybe for a doll.

Gingerly, still looking as though she was holding a bomb about to go off, Bella pulled a free end of the ribbon to untie the bow and slip it off. The heavy gold paper – real gold leaf for all she knew – was closed by only one piece of tape which pulled off easily. Inside was a non-descript black box.

'This had better not be jewellery,' she mumbled.

'Just open it,' Alice sighed, starting to bounce in her seat in anticipation. Bella really hoped that meant she had seen the outcome and that it was good.

With that in mind, Bella slowly pulled the lid off to find, nestled in a bed of white tissue paper, a purple iPod.

'Thanks Alice!' Bella exclaimed, surprise lacing her voice.

'See, was that so bad? That's really only half the gift though. The reason it's unwrapped is because I already loaded it with a whole bunch of music.'

'Wow. I mean really, thank you Alice,' she said with sincerity.

'I knew you'd love it!'

Edward smiled at Bella and gave her a quick kiss before wrapping an arm tightly around her waist and taking the box from her hand.

'What?' Bella asked, suddenly confused.

'I wanted you to be in a good mood,' Alice started. Bella's eyes narrowed. 'That present is from Edward and I.' Bella's eyes narrowed further. 'But for the rest of them, you'll have to come over to the house tonight. At seven o'clock. Esme's making dinner.'

Bella had frozen in a very good representation of horror. 'Alice, tell me you haven't planned a party.'

Alice smiled; it looked only slightly evil. 'I haven't planned a party.'

'Edward, tell me she hasn't planned a party?' Bella tried again.

Edward grimaced. 'It's really just dinner and a cake.'

'Alice I told you no!'

The pixie shrugged without a shred of guilt. 'And I didn't listen; don't you know that by now? It will be fine. It's just dinner, cake and a few presents. We want to celebrate with you Bella! Is that so wrong?'

Clearly Bella thought it was, but short of disappointing not just Alice, but Esme too, there wasn't much she could say. 'Alright, fine. But if there's a single balloon with 'Happy Birthday' on it or if anyone sings, I'm leaving.'

'Deal,' Alice said, in a way that Bella knew meant none of that had been in the cards anyways. Maybe Alice did know her pretty well.

'I'm holding you to that,' Bella told her and then thought better of it. 'Edward is holding you to that.'

'I am?' Edward asked.

'Oh, you so are,' Emmett explained. 'If you're planning on getting any ever again, that is!'

'Emmett,' five voices ground out.

'Spoil sports,' the big vampire huffed.

Esme had made chicken parmesan, which she knew was one of Bella's favourites. Even better was the fact that Alice had forgone setting the massive dining table and placed Bella at the kitchen island, with only Edward to watch her eat. That much she could handle.

'Save room for dessert!' Alice reminded her, before leaving them alone.

'How big is this cake?'

Edward smiled. 'As small as she could order. You can take the leftovers home. Maybe your father will take them to the station?'

'Great idea,' Bella agreed, thinking of Charlie's deputies. There were always cookies and donuts at the station coffee table when she was there. Bella knew that Charlie rarely indulged in them – he preferred the diner's cobbler – but the other men seemed to have a sweet tooth. The cake would be gone in a day, easily.

'This is amazing,' Bella mumbled around her first mouthful of baked chicken. 'How can Esme be such a great cook when she can't taste it?'

'Years of practice,' Edward admitted. 'And the Food Network.'

Bella gave him a sideways glance.

'We never sleep,' he reminded her.

'Doesn't this smell bad to you though? How does she stand it?'

Edward shrugged one shoulder. 'She loves cooking for you. And Esme has done it more often over the decades than the rest of us. I guess she's gotten used to it.'

'Like anything, I suppose.'

Edward read the underlying statement in that. 'True. It took a while to get used to eating deer too.'

Bella choked, swallowing hard.

Edward looked guilty. 'That was inappropriate,' he apologised, handing over a glass of water.

'It's fine; just not while I'm eating,' Bella suggested.

Edward frowned slightly at that, but before he could say anything further, Alice bounded into the room.

'Are you done yet?'

'I just started.'

'Well, when you are done, come out to the living room!' she said and danced back out of the room.

'How does she do that?' Bella wondered aloud.

Edward arched an eyebrow.

'Yes, rhetorical question,' Bella admitted and resumed eating. Not wanting to keep an impatient pixie vampire waiting – and wanting to get the whole embarrassment part of the evening over with quickly – Bella pushed her plate away a few minutes later.

'If I don't eat the cake, Alice will kill me,' she told Edward at his look.

'She'll certainly try,' he reasoned, 'but I promise to protect you.'

'Thanks,' she smiled at him. 'Let's just get this over with. And no singing!' she called out, knowing everyone in the house could hear.

'I promise!' Alice called back.

Edward took her hand and led her out to the living room. The Cullens were all gathered together, though Rosalie looked less than happy to be there. She and Emmett had only returned from Africa the week before, and the blonde had made it clear that she wasn't impressed to find that her brother was still dating 'the human'.

Bella decided to take Edward's advice and ignore her.

To one side was a small round table with a few small wrapped presents and the cake. Bella was a bit surprised to find it was, in fact, small. It was a round cake, no more than eight inches wide and covered in green stripes of fondant. On the top was a solitary candle.

'That's sort of nice, Alice,' Bella admitted. 'Thanks.'

'I knew you'd like it,' she beamed, with all the certainty of a prophet. 'Now make a wish and blow out the candle!'

Bella stepped up to the table, Edward at her side, still holding her hand. She ignored the others that were staring at her. Squeezing her eyes shut, she wished hard. With a small puff the candle guttered out. When Bella opened her eyes Edward was giving her the look he did whenever he was really annoyed that he couldn't read her mind. Bella smiled. This was one secret she would keep, just in case there was some truth in birthday candle wishes.

'Sit!' Alice butted in, gesturing to one of the arm chairs nearby. 'I'll get you a slice of cake and then you can open the gifts.'

Bella sat, because it really was easier not to argue. Alice was quick to slice the cake with an expert-like hand and present Bella with a sizable wedge of it. Inside it was vanilla cake with layers of chocolate frosting, Bella's favourite.

She took an appreciative bite. 'Really good,' she assured the party planner.

'Two for two. Ready for presents?'

Bella sighed. 'If I must.' She took another bite while Alice went to retrieve a small rectangular box.

'This is from Rosalie and Emmett.'

Bella handed Edward the plate so that she'd have both hands free. She cast a surreptitious look at Rosalie, who was standing against the back wall. She looked bored. Emmett was smiling, though, and looked eager for Bella to open the box.

She undid the bowed ribbon and pulled the lid off. Inside was a wood bracelet that looked vaguely tribal.

'Did you get this in Africa?' Bella asked, awed that they had actually brought something back for her from another continent, even if Alice had probably made the suggestion.

'From Zimbabwe,' Emmett nodded, eyes shining. 'It's a good luck charm. Maybe it'll stop your clumsiness.'

'We can hope,' Bella agreed. Edward took the wood carved band from her to fit it around her left wrist. 'Thank you Emmett, Rosalie. It's really cool to have something from so far away.'

'I knew you'd like it! Rose picked it out, you know,' Emmett admitted.

Bella forced a smile and a teasing tone. 'Well, it's not like you have taste, Emmett.'

'Oh, low blow sis, low blow,' he grinned.

Rosalie cracked a slight smile. Bella took that as a win.

'This is from Jasper,' Alice said, handing over a larger wrapped object. It looked suspiciously book sized.

Bella carefully undid the thick gold paper; the same paper as the present at lunch. There was no point in ripping it. Underneath was a hardcover book, clearly old, but in good condition. The spine was embossed in gold lettering.

'Wuthering Heights?' Bella asked aloud, startled. She gingerly opened the cover to read the publication date. '1921? Jasper, this is...' she trailed off, lost for words.

Jasper smiled and in his southern accent explained: 'I found it a couple of months ago in Seattle. They've some good rare book shops there. We should go; it may be the kind of shoppin' you'd like.'

'Oh definitely. Thank you Jasper, I love it.'

'Edward might have mentioned that.'

'Did he now?' Bella smiled at the vampire beside her. 'How foresighted of him.'

Alice giggled. 'Right, last gift. From Esme and Carlisle, of course.'

Esme gave her an encouraging look as Bella took the proffered gift. It was an envelope. Bella hoped it was gift certificates or something.

'We hope you can make good use of it, especially after this summer,' Esme explained.

Curious, Bella slid a finger under the sealed backing and dragged it across, tearing the envelope open.

'Ow!' she exclaimed suddenly, pulling her finger back in a hurry. A deep paper cut ran across the side of her forefinger and a bead of blood was already welling up.

The next seconds were a blur. She was aware of a loud growl reverberating through the room and of people moving very fast. Startled and confused, Bella stood up, only to find herself immediately pushed aside. She stumbled, losing her footing and found herself falling hard against the table that held the cake. She gasped in pain as her left side connected with the wood, but the table was solid enough that she caught herself and regained her balance. Wincing, she slowly stood up to find the room had gone still.

Jasper and Emmett had disappeared. Rosalie and Alice stood by the far wall where the glass door leading to the back porch was slightly open. They were both staring out at the fading daylight.

Edward was a few feet in front of her and Carlisle was standing to one side, an arm wrapped tightly around his wife. Esme's eyes were wide.

'What happened?' Bella ventured to ask.

Edward looked torn between terror and anger and didn't seem to hear her.

'Edward, what just happened?' she asked again, louder.

Edward's gaze strayed to the hand she held slightly raised in front of her. The blood had smeared when she hit the table.

Slowly realising, Bella stuck the offending digit in her mouth to lick the blood away. It tasted like metal, but that was still better than the smell, which she was now noticing. Obviously the last one in the room to.

She saw Esme relax and Carlisle let her go. She looked apologetic. 'I'm sorry, Bella,' she muttered and moved to join her daughters at the open door.

Fresh air, Bella's brain helpfully explained. Tentatively she pulled her finger out of her mouth. Another drop of blood began to bloom, so she hurriedly swiped a napkin from the table and wrapped it tightly around the wound.

Edward seemed to snap out of his daze. 'Bella, are you alright?'

She raised an incredulous eyebrow. 'It's a paper cut; I'm fine. Or I will be if you explain what happened.'

Edward and Carlisle exchanged a look. 'Are you certain? You hit the table quite hard,' Edward went on.

'Oh, yeah,' Bella admitted. 'I guess I did. I'm alright though,' she rushed on, seeing the worry return to Edward's face. 'Just a bruise.'

'Let Carlisle make sure of that.'

Normally Bella would have argued against that, even with Carlisle, but something in Edward's eyes and in his voice made her reconsider. 'Okay,' she said in a slightly unsteady voice. 'But then you are going to tell me what happened.'

'Yes,' Edward said, though it didn't sound like much of a promise.

'Carlisle, can we do this in private?'

'Of course, Bella,' Carlisle spoke for the first time. His voice was calm and soft, as it always was. It helped to relax her a bit more. 'My office will suffice.'

'Sure,' Bella agreed and began to move towards the stairs. Carlisle stepped in close behind her with a cold hand on her back, as if worried she might suddenly collapse. Edward slowly trailed along behind as they climbed to the second floor and the wood panelled office.

Bella had been in Carlisle's sanctuary many times over the summer to borrow books or to talk. It had always seemed safe and comfortable to her, despite the nature of some of the paintings lining the wall. Now it seemed less welcoming and Edward's rigid presence wasn't helping.

'Talk,' she demanded, as soon as they were through the door.

Edward sighed deeply. 'It was the blood,' he gestured at her napkin wrapped finger. 'It was unexpected and Jasper...it was too much.'

'He tried to attack me?' Bella asked, finally putting the pieces together.

'Yes, but I managed to push him back and then Emmett and Carlisle restrained him enough to get him outside.'

'Then who pushed me?'

Edward looked horribly guilty. 'I wanted you out of the way. I didn't intend to push you that hard.'

Bella's looked softened and she stepped over to him. 'It's alright. I'm alright,' she assured him. She lay her forehead against his cold chest.

'I'm very thankful, but please let Carlisle make sure.'

'Alright,' she gave in completely.

Carlisle gestured to one of the chairs in front of the massive desk and Bella sat down. At least she had ignored Alice's push for her to wear a dress. The peasant style top she was wearing was easy to pull up to her chest, exposing the painful ribs of her left side. She hissed slightly as Carlisle lay cold fingers over her side, but after the initial shock it felt pretty good. Almost as good as an ice pack. He pressed very gently over an area that already looked like it was starting to bruise. It would look really good the next day, Bella was sure.

After a moment, Edward sighed and seemed to relax. Bella assumed that was a good sign.

'I certainly don't feel any breaks and though it is impossible to tell without an x-ray, I don't believe there are any fractures,' Carlisle admitted, sitting back on his heels. 'You're going to have a very nice bruise, however.'

Bella smiled at him. 'What else is new? Can I have a band aid for this?' she held up her finger.

'I'll be right back,' he told her. He was; gone and returned in less than ten seconds. It made Bella's head spin a bit.

The paper napkin was already sticking to the cut, but the bleeding had stopped. Bella suppressed a wince as Carlisle ran an alcohol soaked pad over the wound and then covered it with a bandage. 'I think you'll live,' he joked.

'Oh good,' Bella sighed, as if immensely relieved. 'I was worried.'

Edward's frown deepened.

'Your face will freeze like that if you keep it up,' Bella advised him. 'So stop it. I'm fine. Jasper is no doubt outside feeling horrible. I have a very good reason to never celebrate my birthday again. And you are going to stop beating yourself up,' she gave him a hard stare.

'Yes, Bella,' he said, though she didn't entirely believe it.

'I want the rest of my cake. And I still have a present to open.'

'Of course,' Carlisle rose smoothly from the floor. 'Let us return to the living room. The others are already down there waiting.'

Jasper met them at the bottom of the staircase, Alice only a step behind. Edward stepped in front of Bella, as if to protect her. She pushed him out of the way with as much strength as she could.

'Bella, I...' Jasper started.

'Please don't apologise. It was not your fault,' she looked pointedly at Edward while saying it. 'It was an accident. I'm fine. I want to finish my party. Alright?'

Jasper seemed to relax a bit, hopefully feeling how calm she was about the whole thing.

'Of course, darlin',' he agreed.

Bella resumed her seat and pick up the discarded envelope from the floor. It was already open now, but she was careful while pulling out the contents. Inside was a folded card holder with palm trees decorating the front. Curious, Bella opened the flap to find a plane ticket. Investigating further, she found two.

'What?' she asked the room at large, confused.

'Plane tickets to Jacksonville to visit your mother and enjoy a bit of sun,' Esme helpfully explained. 'There's one for you and Edward.'

Bella's eyes widened as she stared at the paper. 'Wow,' she muttered. Rare copies of books were one thing; plane tickets across the country were quite another.

'Thank you,' she breathed.

'You're quite welcome, Bella,' Carlisle smiled at her. 'I think a trip out of Forks will be most welcome.'

'Oh yes,' Bella agreed. 'It would be really nice to see Mom again. And she can meet you!' Bella turned to Edward with a wide smile. 'And then she can pester you for answers instead of me.'

Edward looked uncertain, but Bella continued to grin at him and he finally smiled back.

'Eat more cake,' Alice interrupted, swapping the plane tickets for the discarded plate. Bella happily dug in.

The others disbursed slowly, though Emmett and Rosalie were the first to go. Alice flitted around; cleaning up what little needed cleaning. She came back with the cake re-boxed. 'For Charlie and the boys.'

'Thanks Alice. I mean that. It was a good party.' Alice smiled at her. 'But never again, understood?' Bella continued.

Alice's face fell a bit, but she nodded. 'No more birthday parties, I got it.'

Bella opened her mouth to argue at the specified 'birthday' part of that, but a look from Edward made her close it. Denying Alice any fun was not a good idea. She went back to eating the cake instead.

'Next year,' Bella started quietly, 'we aren't acknowledging my birthday, right?' It seemed a good idea to make certain that Edward was indeed on her side.

Edward smiled into her hair where it rested across his chest. 'I think I can safely say that Alice has learned the error of her ways.'

That relaxed her. 'Good,' Bella sighed and snuggled closer against his blanket clad torso. 'Because that 'magnet for trouble' thing is getting really annoying.'

She felt Edward stiffen at that and immediately regretted it. His voice, when he spoke, had lost the humour of the moment before. Now he was deadly serious.

'Tonight could have ended in disaster, you do know that? If Emmett and Carlisle hadn't grabbed Jasper; if I hadn't been able to push him away; the unthinkable could have happened.'

She turned her head to look up at him. 'But it didn't. I'm fine. Jasper was really sorry, but it's not like it was his fault. I should have been more careful.'

'And Alice should have foreseen it.' He was staring straight up at the ceiling of her bedroom; unblinking and frowning.

'She can't see everything. And it's not like I decided to give myself a paper cut.'

That garnered a slight smile. 'I suppose not.'

'Edward, it was an accident. But I'm fine. You did what you had to to protect me.'

'I hardly call a collection of bruised ribs, fine.'

'I do worse to myself in gym class and you know it.'

He seemed to consider that. 'Maybe.'

'You're not blaming Jasper, are you? Or Alice?' Bella asked hesitantly.

Edward sighed, but he seemed to relax a bit as he did so. 'No, I'm not. It was no one's fault.'

Bella clearly picked up the underlying implication. 'And it wasn't yours, either.' She stared him in the eye.

'No,' he finally relented, though clearly reluctant to say so.

Sighing, Bella lay her head down again. 'No more parties. We just won't risk my clumsiness that way.'

There was silence for a long beat. Bella shifted slightly against Edward's unyielding body, easing the bruising ache in her ribs from where she'd connected with the table. Even though Carlisle had promised they weren't broken and with the painkillers Edward had insisted she take, it was uncomfortable pressed against a hard body.

She felt, more than heard, Edward take a deep breath. 'I'm surprised you haven't brought it up yet.'

Bella blinked, confused. 'Brought what up?'

'Your desire to be a soulless monster.'

'I don't want any such thing,' she started, anger in her voice as she lifted her head to stare at him again. Her ribs gave another throb, but she ignored them. 'I don't want to be a soulless monster, but I do want to be like you, with you, forever.'

'I see no difference.'

'And I do. And we've agreed to disagree. And,' Bella continued, 'I didn't bring it up because I knew you'd be like this if I did!'

'I'm sorry. Truly,' he emphasised, sounding it. 'I just don't want this life for you. You have so much ahead of you; so much potential; too much to take away. It would be a tragedy.'

'Edward,' Bella said, in a voice that clearly said you will listen to me. 'Me getting struck by a car tomorrow would be a tragedy. Getting terminal cancer would be a tragedy. Losing the man I love because he was too stubborn to see the truth, would be a tragedy. But being with you, loving you, for eternity will never be a tragedy. It cheapens my feelings for you when you put it that way.'

That, at least, made him think. 'That's not my intention. I know you love me. I just want a better life for you; please understand that.'

'I understand that you see it that way, even if I don't understand why,' Bella admitted. 'But you need to understand that I don't want a better life if it means I can't have you in it: forever.'

Edward sighed, sounding defeated. 'You should sleep; it's been a long day.'

'Fine,' she agreed, because going in circles was making her tired. 'You'll stay?'

'Of course,' he promised.

'I love you, Edward; please remember that that's the most important thing.'

'To me, it certainly is. Sleep well, love,' he whispered into her hair, followed by a kiss.

Right! The fun part is still to come!